This is the story that inspired me to make the April Fools challenge
on the DP list.
This probably wouldn't work in reality, but what the heck.
There's not actually much Tracy in this.
Title: All of the Time
by Emma Lighton
"I know it was my idea, but he won't notice if you do it."
"Okay, okay give it to me."
Nick paused outside the door to the morgue, listening to the
conspiratorial whispers inside. He had no idea what Tracy and Nat
were talking about, but he was slowly getting use to that fact.
He pushed open the door, and was surprised to see them both sitting
there calmly, not jerking apart, trying to look innocent. Maybe, he'd
misinterpreted what was going on.
Natalie stood up as he entered and walked over holding a file. Nick
took it numbly from her hand, feeling her proximity start to
intoxicate him. He saw her lips moving, felt her hand touch his
chest, and promptly decided that Natalie's latest plan to cut back on
his blood intake, had just bit the dust.
*beep beep* *ring ring*
Nick was brought back to reality by the sound of his pager going
off, and by Natalie moving away to answer her phone. He glanced at
Tracy, and saw her talking to someone on her cell phone.
"Looks like we'd better get going." Tracy told her still recovering
partner. He missed the wink she gave Natalie as they all headed out
the door.
* * * * *
It had been a drive by. It was late, so the street wasn't busy. As
usual, no one had seen anything. Knowing it was probably a hopeless
task, Nick went to interview the potential witnesses.
"So Mister Cameron, what did you see while you were walking your
dog?" Nick asked the nervous looking old man in front of them. Tracy
stood next to him, ready to take notes, just in case.
The man stared at him for a moment, then turned to look
questioningly at Tracy. Out of the corner of his eye, Nick saw her
shrug. It seemed to him, that she was also trying to suppress a
smile. The man turned back to Nick.
"Well...detective...I'd...just...taken...Sparky...out...for...a...
walk...when...I...heard..." Nick stared at the man, as he slowly and
carefully pronounced each word. He'd sounded normal when one of the
uniforms had been talking to him. Tracy simply scribbled notes, not
seeming to notice anything amiss.
* * * * *
Several hours later, Nick pulled the Caddy to a stop outside the
Raven. It had been a very strange night. First the potential
witnesses in the drive by had all seemed to talk strangely, but only
when speaking to him. Then he had gone back to the station, and all
of his co-workers seemed to be suffering from the same problem, only
they also started to snigger first. Even a suspect they'd brought in
had insisted on talking that way, when he wasn't laughing his ass
off. Nick was wondering if the confession he'd given would be
admissible in court.
"At least with the audio recording, he can't claim we beat it out
of him." Nick muttered as he slowly got out of his car. He hated to
admit it, but after all that, he was looking forward to talking to
Lacroix.
As he pushed through the crowd, he noticed a few people giving him
curious stares. He ignored them and quickly made his way to the
broadcast booth, where his senses, and the glowing on-air light, told
him he could find his master.
Nick didn't have long to wait before the light went out, and
Lacroix gestured for him to enter.
"Lacroix I have to talk to you." Lacroix looked at him curiously,
and raised an eyebrow. Nick though he saw a half smile on his face,
but decided it was just a trick of the light.
"Really...Nicholas...what...about?"
"IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Nick
screamed as he went dashing out of the booth. Blindly he pushed his
way through the crowd again and staggered out the door. Needing to
get away as soon as possible, he ignored the Caddy, and threw himself
up in the air.
* * * * *
Reaching the safety of his elevator, Nick curled into a ball as it
slowly rose towards the loft. The detective part of his mind insisted
that the conversation he'd overheard between Natalie and Tracy had
something to do with it, but he couldn't see anyway they could
arrange for complete strangers to go along with it.
The elevator stopped, and he got slowly to his feet. Half convinced
that he was losing his mind, Nick stepped into the familiar interior
of the loft and closed the blinds.
Wearily he drained a bottle from the fridge and tried to remember
if anything good had happened to him tonight, and with a relieved
smile remembered the brief and unexpected moment of closeness he'd
experienced with Natalie earlier.
His hand came up to rest where she'd touched him, and he
unexpectedly felt a small, round, metal object on his lapel. Looking
down he saw a pin that hadn't been there earlier. Carefully he
removed it, and turned it round so he could read it.
NATURALLY BLONDE
Please Speak Slowly
Nick stared at it, as his fingers registered that there was a small
piece of paper attached to the back. He turned it round again to
examine it.
APRIL FOOLS!
Nat & Tracy
Nick paused with his hand above the garbage can, but he changed his
mind and slipped the pin into a desk draw with all the mementos of
the April fools pranks Schanke had pulled. One of these years, he was
going to remember.
The End
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